My Personal Why

A Goals Essay
Shenley Toadvine April 2012

There are many aspects of management. It consists of more than reading and interpreting reports. It is also about caring and respecting your employees.

Toadvine 1 One statement stands out to me throughout all of my management classes and courses I have taken throughout my career: people do not leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses. My personal goal as a member of management has been to never become so consumed in moving results that I lose focus on the very people I am counting on to move those results. Associates want to know and feel that their managers care about them. The Bible teaches us this about love: "It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV) A manager should always strive to uphold these standards. It is essential that each associate is treated equally and respectfully. Supervision is not only about providing leadership, guidance and instruction. It is also about caring and nurturing. And it is about setting proper examples as "bad company corrupts good character." (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV) Integrating my Christian faith in the workplace aids me in ensuring that all of my subordinates receive the same unbiased treatment they deserve and credit they have earned. Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV tells me "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" essentially do my job to the best of my ability. In order to be successful and be the best supervisor or manager I can be I must be prepared. One aspect of that preparation is to continuously educate myself by reading articles and books authored by those successful in the realm of leadership. Another aspect is to pursue higher education. In this world of emerging leaders, obtaining a Bachelors degree is often not enough to achieve great levels of accomplishment when there is such competition. I believe obtaining a Master in Business Administration would set me apart from my peers. It demonstrates to upper management my dedication to the industry with the time and energy required and invested in obtaining such degree. It affirms my commitment to do my job to the best of my ability. Seeking higher education also gives me credibility: it demonstrates I have mastered a certain level of knowledge in business management. This affords me the credentials and confidence needed when presenting possible solutions to my peers and upper management. I need to be able to lead my associates and aid them in becoming the best, most effective and efficient employees possible. Knowing how to research and report findings, understanding and interpreting statements, audit reports and business development plans: having these abilities enable me to prepare and educate my subordinates. Having this knowledge aids the development of the consummate employee; one that excels at the job at hand and is able to continue onward to a fruitful career. The MBA program offered by Southeastern University has the curriculum I need in order to achieve those objectives.

Toadvine 2 God is in charge of my needs, the needs of others, and the overall direction for my life. I enjoy working toward goals and I enjoy difficult challenges. Overcoming obstacles, showing that solid faith and good deeds do pave a path for success, even in cutthroat industries, can be a daunting task. Demonstrating that faith and religion still have a place in today's workplace: this is a challenge I have accepted.